Texas Gov. Perry looking to lure NY companies

Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday said his efforts to lure companies out of New York and to his state is similar to a sports final series between rival teams, and that states are in a competition with each other over businesses and jobs.

“It’s no different than, I would think, if the Knicks were in the finals playing the San Antonio Spurs, they’d be willing to win all the games,” he said after a meeting at a Park Avenue office building. “The same’s true with business, the same’s true with jobs.”

The Texas governor was in New York City as part of a five-day trip to New York state and Connecticut to meet with businesses and promote his state’s business climate. He’s made similar visits to California and Illinois.

“We compete against each other, I think we can do it, should do it, in a civil and thoughtful and a positive way,” Perry said.

Perry was in Connecticut on Monday, talking to gun manufacturers and praising his state’s tax policies and regulatory climate.

His trips haven’t been met with open arms by the Democratic governors of those states. He and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo engaged in a little verbal sparring over the merits of their respective states before Perry’s trip started.

The trip also includes $1 million in television ads promoting Texas, along with radio ads.